Conduct Research with Island Health

Do you have a research idea, but aren't sure where to start? We have your research roadmap!  Check out the steps below to learn more, or email our research facilitator Nidhi.Sharma@islandhealth.ca for support. 

Planning

Develop an inquiry question and review the literature

  • Explore our resources to develop your skills and kickstart the research process.
  • Browse past workshops and information sessions from our annual Knowledge to Action Month events.
Build your team and seek support
Seek consultations early and often
  • Request access to data to learn what kind of data Island Health holds, how to access it for research purposes and what the potential costs are. Cost estimates should be built into study budgets and included in any application for funding.
  • Request a research privacy consultation to design your study to comply with Island Health and provincial requirements.
    Apply for ethical and operational reviews

     Find Funding

    View funding opportunities

    View internal or external funding opportunities.

    Submit a notice of intent

    Looking for an external grant?

    Island Health employees are required to submit a Notice of Intent if:

    • You are the Principal Applicant on a grant application, with Island Health as your primary institutional affiliation or;
    • You are the Island Health lead on the grant application (as co-applicant, collaborator, etc.)

    Once we receive your notification, we can connect you with the right people and departments, help you develop your budget, and request letters of support on your behalf.

    Notifications must be submitted as soon as possible and are requested at least:

    • Two months in advance of the first deadline in the application process that requires approvals or letters from Island Health (whether pre-application, letter of intent, draft, or full application) for grants over $100,000.
    • One month in advance of the first deadline in the application process that requires approvals or letters from Island Health (whether pre-application, letter of intent, draft, or full application) for grants under $100,000.
    Prepare application and budget 

    Budget

    We perform cost-analyses of research protocols and negotiate costs with other departments and external vendors, and we advise, manage, reconcile and report on study budgets. We help develop budgets for grant applications, including in-kind contributions.

    In-kind contributions are non-monetary or cash equivalent resources that can be given a cash value. They may be a budget requirement in a grant application, or they may be included to show organizational support for the project. Learn more in our in-kind toolkit.

    Canadian Common CV

    The Canadian Common CV (CCV) is a web-based application that provides researchers with a single, common approach to gathering CV information required by a network of federal, provincial and not-for-profit research funding organizations. We assist researchers in setting up, migrating, and maintaining their Canadian Common CV (CCV) on a cost-recovery basis.

    Requests must be made at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline; three weeks is preferable. The individual making the request is responsible for verifying information and ensuring its accuracy.

    Secure a Letter of Support

    We can assist external researchers in requesting letters from Island Health to support grant applications aligned with our strategic priorities. Requests must be made at least three weeks in advance of the application deadline. All notifications and requests must be submitted online through this form. 

    Manage contracts and agreements
    • All research contracts at Island Health are managed through our department. We implement, review and negotiate a range of research-related agreements for staff, students and contractors, including:
      • Investigator or industry-sponsored research contracts
      • Data Sharing/Data Access Agreements
      • Confidential Disclosure Agreements
      • Material Transfer Agreements
      • Clinical Trial Agreements
      • Sub-grants/Sub-awards
      • Research Support Agreements
      • Professional Service Agreements

    Conducting

    Participant recruitment
    • Connect with members of the public on REACH BC, a provincial platform that brings together researchers with potential participants and patient partners.
    • To recruit participants at Island Health sites using Island Health communications and newsletters, please indicate this in your operational review application. Departments/facilities/staff requested to support research, including participant recruitment, will approve requests based on capacity and feasibility.

    Digital Distribution of Recruitment Materials for External Research Studies

    Researchers may be eligible for recruitment support from our Research Department if they are:

    • external to Island Health;
    • not an REBC harmonized ethics partner;
    • not using any Island Health sites in their research; and
    • do not have an Island Health research team member.

    In addition, the study must:

    • have been approved by another TCPS2 compliant REB;
    • be considered minimal risk by the primary REB;
    • be health (non-clinical) or social science or behavioural research; and
    • not involve Island Health staff, clinical staff, or clinical or medical students in recruitment activities other than forwarding an email or posting to a listserv.

    Please read this process for further details.

    If, after reading the process, your study meets these criteria, please email the complete ethics application, approval, and associated recruitment materials to researchethics@islandhealth.ca for a brief review.

    Once the review is complete, we will be in touch.

    Data access or collection

    Looking for Access to Island Health Data?

    Manage and Collect Data with REDCap

    Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) is a versatile data management tool that supports research and quality improvement, surveys, and operational projects at Island Health.

    We provide REDCap training sessions on a regular basis, and also organize the REDCap Day event once a year, where users present their latest projects using REDCap. 

    Data checking and analysis

    Contact our biostatistician for a complementary initial consultation, guidance on study methodology, and analysis of data sets. Analysis carries a cost-recovery charge of $75 per hour.

    Disseminating

    Write a technical report
    • Explore our resources to develop your skills and kickstart the research process.
    • Browse our self-paced module on how to develop effective inquiry questions.
    Publish a peer-reviewed manuscript
    • Contact our research facilitator for support identifying a journal, strategies for writing effectively or in plain language, help responding to reviewer revisions, and resources to reduce the red tape of publishing.
    • Review the author guidelines of your target journal(s) early in the writing process – many journals have maximum word counts, required sections, and additional materials such as a cover letter, key points, patient consent forms, or others.
    Present a poster

    Contact our research facilitator for support to prepare a poster presentation – including standard templates, formatting help and tips and tricks for success.

    Explore innovative ideas